Identity And Affirmation At CSUN

Photography and history go hand in hand. Out of all of the artforms, photography is the only one you can really say is tied to time. Of course painting and drawing can do this and, of course, film as well–but they aren’t the same. Painting and drawing are representations of real moments instead of actually being the real moments. Of course, films do capture real moments in time but, even today, the ability and knowledge of filming is inaccessible to many and requires great skill. Photography finds itself in the middle of these three artforms. California State University, Northridge currently has an exhibit on a very specific moment in photography: African American post-war photography in Los Angeles, entitled Identity And Affirmation: Post War African American Photography.

Through great curation (by Professor Emeritus Kent Kirkton), the exhibit showcases approximately 125 photos “produced by Los Angeles African-American photographers during the post-war years 1945 – 1980.” They showcase everything from art to fashion to documentary, giving a glimpse into the day-to-day life of post-war African Americans in this city. Very similar to the National Gallery’s The Art Of The American Snapshot in 2007, Identitytakes a look at a hyper specific group whose story is told through the photos they took.

For more on Identity And Affirmation At CSUN, check out Pacific Standard Time’s blog. The show ends December 10 and is one of the best Pacific Standard Time shows: be sure to get out there to see it if you can!!